Wastebasket



Nov. s, 1938. A MA 2,135,813

WASTEBASKET Filed June 5, 1936 Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to waste baskets. It is an object and purpose of the present invention to produce a novel construction of waste basket, wherein a movable bottom is provided which in its normal position in the waste basket is disposed at the lower end of the basket but which can be moved lengthwise of and within the same for ejecting the contents thereof when desired, after which it is moved back to its normal lower position. A further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction of movable bottom for the waste basket which is held from moving out of the basket at either end thereof and in which a snug engagement against the inner walls of the basket sides occurs preventing dirt and dust passing between the bottom and walls of the basket. A still further object is to provide the basket, preferably at its corners, with sLitable stops which may also be made to serve as handles for the basket whereby, for example, in emptying the contents ofthe basket into a furnace, the open end of the basket may be presented to the furnace opening, the stops insuring against the entrance of said open end of the basket into the furnace itself and in such position the bottom is moved so as to force the contents of the basket outwardly through its open end directly into the furnace.

Many other objects and purposes than those stated will be apparent from an understanding of the invention which may be had from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a waste basket made in accordance with my invention.

Fig, 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section adjacent the lower end thereof.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the movable bottom.

Fig. i is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section through one side of the bottom.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the basket, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary underplan View in one corner of the under-metallic frame forming one element of construction of the basket.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the difierent figures of the drawing.

In construction of the basket four sides 8 of rectangular form are made of any suitable relatively thin material, the corners of which may be mitered so as to come together and the sides secured at their upper and lower ends by 'two' suitable frames of substantially U-shaped form stood that the sides I may be made as a continuous length and bent into shape in which case at one comer only would the edges have to be mitered. The material used may be sheet metal, fiber board, wood veneer or any other equivalent relatively thin material. The U-shaped sheet metal frame 2 at the upper end is pressed downwardly over the upper edges of the sides I holding them together, while the frame 3 at the lower end is pushed upwardly over the lower edges of the sides l serving the same purpose. The inner leg of the sides of the frame 3 are each provided with a horizontal and inwardly extending flange 4. The upper frame 2 at the corners and at the outer flanges thereof is formed with downwardly extending corner extensions 5 from which, at their lower ends, outwardly and downwardly curved extensions 6 of inverted U-shape or channel form extend. The frame 2, with the corners 5 and the members 6, may be stamped from a single piece of sheet metal or they may be made of separated parts suitably welded, brazed or otherwise connected together so as to provide in effect an integral structure.

At each corner of the lower frame 3 the metal is pressed downwardly and outwardly making enclosing corner feet H which in cross section are of U-shaped form as best shown in Fig. 2. A. member 8, preferably of wood, is located at each corner of the basket, is of greatest width at its upper end and progressively decreases in width toward its lower end. The lower ends are inserted into the foot members "i, which provide sockets to receive them, while the upper ends are received within and underneath the parts 6 previously described. Suitable screws 9 and to (Fig. 6) serve to secure the members ii in place. Each member, adjacent its upper end, is formed with a hand hole It whereby handles are provided for the basket. This provides a sturdy construction of basket wall and handle members connected thereto.

The movable bottom in the structure includes an open rectangular frame having sides l I, pref erably of wood, each of which in its outer side has a centrally positioned lengthwise concave groove I2. Around the frame at each side thereof a member, preferably of fiber board, is located and secured formed with an inwardly pressed groove l3 lengthwise thereof and substantially midway between its upper and lower edges which fits into a groove l2 of a frame member it. From the groove l3 upwardly and downwardly extending wings l4 and A5 are provided, each of which inclines outwardly from the vertical, as best shown in Fig. 4. A handle ll extends across beneath the frame and is attached at its ends to two of the opposite, sides H thereof. A horizontal plate ll, of any suitable thin material, is placed over the upper sides of the frame members II and covers the space surrounded thereby and is located within the upwardly extending wings ll previously. described. 7

The bottom thus made may be inserted in the upper end of the basket as the wings l4 and I5 are sumciently flexible to permit. When within the vertical walls of the basket said wings I4 and 15 have a normal tendency to bear outward against the inner sides of the vertical walls of the basket. The bottom is stopped in its lower position by the lower edges of wings l5 engaging the flanges 4. Said wings I4 and I5 bear with a light frictional pressure against the inner walls of the basket and by such engagement the passage of dirt or dust between the wings I4 and the walls I is precluded.

From the foregoing construction it is evident that the basket may be grasped by any handle member 8, and may be inverted to dispose of its contents and by grasping the handle I6 the bottom may be moved lengthwise of the basket until the upper edges of the wings l4 engage against and are stopped by the inner legs of the upper frame 2. In emptying the basket into a furnace, for example, the parts 6 at the upper ends of the handle members come against the door frame around the fire door entrance to the furnace, and with the basket then in a substantially horizontal position, the bottom may be moved toward the open end of the basket to force the contents outwardly into the furnace.

The structure described, while of a simple character, is novel and very useful, and may be produced at a low manufacturing cost. The structure embodying the invention operates very efl'iciently to serve the Pu poses for which it is created. The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A basket having vertical side walls, upper and lower metal border frames connected with the upper and lower ends of said basket side walls, said lower border frame at each corner of the basket having a socket open at its upper end, and said upper border frame at each corner thereof having an outwardly extending member attached thereto, handles, one at each corner of the basket, each having its lower end received in a socket and its upper end coming against the underside of an outwardly extending member and connected therewith, and a bottom within said walls movable .between the upper and lower border frames, as specified.

2. In a basket having vertical side walls and open upper and lower ends, a bottom closure for said basket movably mounted whereby it may be moved from lower to upper position in the basket and vice versa, handle members connected to the basket at the Junctures of the several side walls, each handle member at its upper end extending abruptly outwardly a distance from the walls of the basket and spaced downwardly from the open upper end thereof.

JOSEPH A. HARTMAN. 

